I don't like pediatric patients, am I normal?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello folks.

I have been worked at adult Med/Surg unit for 6years.

So, I have not much experiences taking care pediatric patients.

Always I have been facing to them, it is too hard coping with their tiny tiny little bodys,vessels and also calculating medicine doses and administration is big challenges. In addition, guardians are always sensitive with my nursing care, even though I am a skillful nurse. For these reasons, I really admire PED nurses :)

Here is my question.

I know a lot of my RN friends would like to be a pediatric nurse, such as NICU or PICU or just general pediatric unit. I am surrounding RNs who want to be a pediatric nurse. However, I never been want to be a pediatric nurse.

I just wonder that is there anyone likes me? In these days, even I feel like I am abnormal.

Please tell me your opinion. Thank you in advance.

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Specializes in pediatrics; PICU; NICU.

It's not abnormal at all. Some people, like me, love Peds & others hate it. Personally, I don't ever want to take care of adults. They drive me up the wall!

If you don't like caring for kids it will show in your work. That's probably what the parents/guardians are picking up on.

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Specializes in UR/PA, Hematology/Oncology, Med Surg, Psych.

Nope, never wanted to be a Pediatric nurse. I work in adult oncology and that's hard enough. Pediatric Oncology would be way too painful for me.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I've never had an interest in peds and never will. While I have the utmost empathy for sick children, I simply do not relate or connect well with infants and children in any state of health.

There's a place for all of us in nursing. If every nurse wanted to provide care for only the little ones, there would be nobody to watch over patients who cover the rest of the life span.

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Specializes in PICU.

I feel like for a lot of people (not everyone) you are either an "adult" nurse or a "peds" nurse. I'm in PICU and most of my coworkers are horrified at the idea of taking care of adults. And most adult nurses want nothing to do with kids. We get a few 20-something year olds due to oncology matters and sometimes it really throws us ("But he's a grown man! What do I do with them."....or if it's a woman and her kids are coming to visit her in the pediatric hospital.) And it's all good. We all have our niche and that's totally fine. Nothing abnormal. Whether it's preference or just not being comfortable with a certain population due to inexperience, it's pretty normal.

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Give me a 90-year-old any day over peds or OB!

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Specializes in ED, Pedi Vasc access, Paramedic serving 6 towns.

Everyone has their preferences. When I worked in the ER I would trade geriatric patients for pediatric patients, because I hate geriatrics, and there were nurses that hated pediatrics. It isn't that you don't like the patient as a person, its just not your cup of tea.

Annie

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Specializes in NICU.
Give me a 90-year-old any day over peds or OB!

Give me a 3 pound incontinent premie over a 300 pound incontinent adult any day.

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Specializes in Acute Care Pediatrics.

I would rather stab my eyes out with forks than to take care of adults. :) I know so many of my friends who are adult nurse feel the same way about kids.

That is the thing about pediatric patients - they really should never be on a floor with adults. They require completely different nursing care. They are not just little adults - everything about the care of the pediatric patient differs from the care of the adult. From the obvious stuff like drug dosages all the way down to the fact that we take care of not just the patient, but the entire family unit. "Family centered care." ;) Not only that, but your nurse/patient interactions are going to be completely different. I mean, I guess you could play peek a boo with the 35 year old man, but I doubt you will have the same result you will get from the 3 year old. :)

You are completely normal.

I love my kiddos. And my teenagers! (Which a lot of people forget are still part of the pediatric world!!!)

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I wouldn't worry about it. As others have said, everyone has their niche. I think it is important to let supervisors know, however, so that you can be placed where you'd be most useful and comfortable. I think professionally we have that obligation to do our best, and if moving to a unit where we'll have the best patient care is what it means, that's the best thing to do.

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I love taking care of mommas and infants. No more men!

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Specializes in Allergy/ENT, Occ Health, LTC/Skilled.

Nope, I wasn't nothing to do with the P's in nursing: Pregnancy, post-partum, and pediatrics. I cry reading stories on FB about sick kids and my mechanic husband is more level headed when it comes to our own kids getting sick. I was a hot mess when my then 4 month old was hospitalized for RSV last winter, confirmed my suspicions that I am of no good in pediatrics.

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